Planning enforcement action against short-term lets

The request was successful.

Dear Northumberland County Council,

I’m seeking details of enforcement action taken by your authority’s planning team in relation to properties offered for short-term lets via platforms such as Airbnb.

Please could you provide the following under the Freedom of Information Act:

The number of planning enforcement notices issued by your authority in relation to short-term lets in each financial year from 2011/12 to 2018/19.

The number of planning contravention notices issued by your authority in relation to short-term lets in each financial year from 2011/12 to 2018/19.

If available, please also provide the number of informal warnings issued by your authority’s planning team in relation to short-term lets in each financial year from 2011/12 to 2018/19.

Yours faithfully,

Mark Wilding

Northumberland County Council

1 Attachment

Our Ref: 5972  

Dear Enquirer,

INFORMATION REQUEST

Thank you for your request for information which will be dealt with under
the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 / Environmental
Information Regulations 2004.

In some circumstances a fee may be payable and if that is the case, we
will let you know the likely charges before proceeding.

If you have any queries about this matter please contact us. Please
remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

Kind regards

Information Governance Office
Northumberland County Council
County Hall
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE61 2EF

Tel: 0345 600 6400
Email: [Northumberland County Council request email]
Web: http://www.northumberland.gov.uk

Northumberland County Council

19 Attachments

Our Ref: 5972   

Dear Enquirer,

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST

I refer to your Freedom of Information request received Thursday 25 April
2019.
Right of Access

Section 1(1) of the Act provides any person making a request for
information to a public authority is entitled.

(a) to be informed in writing by the public authority whether it holds
information of the description specified in the request (which Section
1(6) of the Act designates as the "duty to confirm or deny"), and

(b) if that is the case, to have that information communicated to him.

The right is to obtain access to the information itself and not to the
document or record which contains it.

The Act creates a general right of access to information held by public
authorities subject to various exemptions.

Northumberland County Council confirms that it holds the information you
have requested, please see the (attached/following) information in
response.

Request:
Q.1 The number of planning enforcement notices issued by your authority in
relation to short-term lets in each financial year from 2011/12 to
2018/19.
Q.2 The number of planning contravention notices issued by your authority
in relation to short-term lets in each financial year from 2011/12 to
2018/19.
Q.3 If available, please also provide the number of informal warnings
issued by your authority’s planning team in relation to short-term lets in
each financial year from 2011/12 to 2018/19.

Response: 
Q.1 The Enforcement register from 2011-2019 is attached, this includes all
enforcement Notices & Breach of condition Notices served throughout the
County. 
Q.2 The register of PCN's are attached.
Q.3 From 2011-2019 we received 10,126 reports of  alleged planning
breaches. The subject of the breach i.e if it is a short-term let is not
always recorded. A search of the system by "holiday-let" has found 28
cases which include the word holiday-let received between 2011-2019.

Complaints 

If you are unhappy with the way your request for information has been
handled, you can request an internal review by writing within 2 months
from the date of this response to the Information Governance Office:

Information Governance Office
Northumberland County Council
County Hall
Morpeth
NE61 2EF

Email: [Northumberland County Council request email]

Information Commissioner

If you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have a
right by Section 50 of the Act to apply to the Information Commissioner
for a decision as to whether your request has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act at:

The Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Tel: 0303 123 1113
Email: [email address]

There is no charge for making an appeal.

Yours faithfully

FOI Coordinator -
Information Governance Office
Northumberland County Council
County Hall
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE61 2EF

Tel: 0345 600 6400
Email: [Northumberland County Council request email]
Web: http://www.northumberland.gov.uk